Empowered Traditionalist

It’s funny how the whirring, whirling, never ceasing rumble of the plane engines seem to intensify your inner thoughts.

“Am I ready for this?…do something bold, unexpected…go outside your comfort zone. You have only 12 days. Don’t waste them.

…Don’t waste them.”

I tried talking to a two Taiwanese girls, but neither spoke English. Alas. I ended up talking with a very interesting grey-bearded nomad from named Bob. Travels all around, the general explorer type that you can easily envision wearing an Amazon hat. Fascinating, with many interesting stories to tell. Never know what can happen when you just great someone with a nice “good morning”

We head out for our last leg – To Pnom PHen in about an hour. Cambodia here I come!

Share on Facebook

Eyeliner does not have to be something you rock only when you are going formal. Everyday eyeliner can be quick, easy and gorgeous!

Pencils can be smudged for a subtle look. Always hold your head back, look down into the mirror, and apply your eyeliner.

Liquid looks great only on the top, it takes a steady hand and some practice. Try using light shadow and going with a think line on just the top of your eye. If you are feeling fun try swooping the line out a bit farther then you eye. Make sure you have plenty of liquid on your brush to make it smooth.

Angle brush. To make a fine, dark line wet the shadow and brush. For the natural look get the line as close to the lashes as you can. This look looks great on top or all around.

Everyday liner should be as close to your lash line as you can get it. The point is to enhance and thicken your lashes.

Formal eye liner for this season would be smoky eyes. Just make everything a little heavier. Make your line a bit thicker on the bottom, starting as close to your tear duck as you can. To jazz it up put some of your shimmer on the bottom before you add the liner. This will enhance your eye color.
If you have deep set eyes, dark liner might not be the best option for you, try a lighter color, only on the top.

Less is more, a good rule to live by. If you are going all out on the liner balance it with light lips and simple clothing. A simple black dress, hair pulled back and heavy liner is fabulous. A red dress, catchy shoes, big hair, lots of lips and heavy liner is overwhelming. Leaning towards the classic side is always beautiful.

Share on Facebook

You’ve no doubt noticed that since our beginning we have held a commitment to give to social justice organizations – in particular, Warm Blankets International and the widows and orphans of war-torn Cambodia hold a special place in our hearts.

In order to give you, our loyal customers, a more direct and visible place in the Mission Beyond Business, as a team, we have decided to revise our program to give 5% of every purchase to Warm Blankets International.

Now you can play a personal part in the Mission Beyond Business.

When you make a purchase at Christa-Taylor, 5% of your purchase goes directly to Warm Blankets and the widows and orphans there. When you give a gift from Christa-Taylor, you give two gifts — beautiful clothes, and the gift of life.

But some of you may be thinking…why are they reducing it so drastically?

30% of net profits = 5% of every sale
We are giving the same amount (and will continue to do so), but now YOU can see the tangible numbers

We give no false impressions on our mission beyond business. I want you to understand how important missions is to the company, and to me as an individual. Because of this, my Dad (Chris), brother (Sam), assistant (Jocelyn) and I are making a trip to Cambodia to serve an orphan home there. This will be my second trip to “Campuchea” and I’m eagerly anticipating seeing that beautiful country again that has suffered so much in it’s history.

We are serving on a construction team and though it is grueling labor…it is very rewarding. (Just imagine me swinging a sledge hammer — that is a humorous thought!)

As I make all the necessary preparations, one thought overshadows all others, “What will it be like to see the orphans again?” I remember the affectionate hugs, smiles and laughter that crossed all language barriers.

Each has a beautiful Cambodian name (that is very difficult for me to remember and pronounce!). The widows, whose husbands were killed during the Kemer Rouge regime, by land mines or disease, look over the children — training them in the arts of their culture and ensuring that they are learning necessary life skills.

So we’re going. And though internet is scarce, I’ll do my best to post a few times…so keep checking!

Share on Facebook

EVERY DAY IS A GOOD EYELASH DAY!

Mascara Basics.

Always put mascara on after your eye shadow otherwise the shadow will fall on top of your lashes giving you a messy look.

If you have clumpy issues try

-A new mascara. Sometimes cheaper is not always the better.

-Wetting your lashes before you apply mascara,just make sure you do not sneeze until they are dry!

-Get the brush as close to the eye as you can and swoop the brush forward in one motion. Repeat until you get the effect you want.

-Get a baby tooth brush or dry mascara wand to break up the clumps.

If you need to lengthen (who doesn’t)

-Brush a little powder on your lashes before you apply mascara. It makes the lashes look very full and long and helps the mascara stay on.

-Put on two coats. Start with a light, smooth coat, let it dray for ten seconds and add another, heavier one.

ALWAYS ALWAYS clean up the mess you made. The best way to remove mascara for under (or on top) of your eyes is a q-tip with a little lotion on it.

Share on Facebook

Houndstooth is a variation of a black and white trend. The Scottish bequeathed Houndstooth design is quite versatile being worn as a jacket, scarf, head band, hat, ballet flats or wellies. This classic pattern can be worn adorably…and not so adorably.

DO keep it simple. The Houndstooth piece should stand alone,

DO NOT mix and match patterns. Keep it simply beautiful, ladies.

DO add a splash of (one) color. Try a yellow belt or bold cafe dress.

DO be careful what part of the body you put the pattern. Houndstooth has a wonderful eye catching print, and it does its job well. Be leery of skirts, and pants, love scarves, gloves, shoes, boots, and of course the classic Houndstooth coat.

Share on Facebook

You might have noted the lack of bare or nylon covered legs recently. It does not have to be daunting to pull on some of the bright and daring tights of 2008.

Here are some simple tips: do’s, don’ts and dares as your time to rock these fun accessories is coming to an end.

Which shoes look best with tights?

Any type of chunky-heeled shoes look awesome with opaque tights. Boots, short and long, are a perfect match with woolly hose. You are going to want those peep-toes this Spring, so buy them now and winterize them by pairing with ribbed hosiery(be sure you watch the toe seam).

Do I have to match my tights with my shoes?

Don’t be afraid to have some fun with color and texture. However if you need to gain a few inches try matching your hose with your shoes for a leg-lengthening effect. You can be grateful for this Winter fashion, being that opaque tights are very slimming.

Legs of Color?

Though bright legwear made it big on the runway, don’t try to go over the top! Stick to delicate designs or easy-on-the-eye prints–dark backgrounds. For solids, team your tights with a hue that’s featured in your ensemble. (i.e. If you’ve got a maroon scarf- pull out the maroon tights).

Have fun!

Share on Facebook

Hello ladies-

Just wanted to give you a “head up” about what’s happening here on the blog. I will posting regularly every Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesdays will be centered more on “Tuesday’s tips and tricks” fashion tips, pictures ideas etc. and Thursday is everything else.

Just so you know what to expect-

As ever,

Christa

Share on Facebook

(the young woman on the right died of symptoms relating to anexoria in 2006)
Sao Paulo, Brazil. A brown-haired teenage girl walks on to the stage at the local beauty contest. Below, her parents, wedged at the front of a cheering audience, clap enthusiastically as a judge slips a green and white sash over their daughter’s head and pronounces her the Queen of Jundiai, 1999. Her mother wasn’t surprised: ‘The other girls were podgy and had bottoms,’ she said later. ‘She won because she was slim and elegant.’

But it was on 14 November last year that she finally crossed over from being a successful catwalk model to appearing on the cover of every magazine and newspaper in Brazil, and making headlines around the globe. Not for her modeling, but for her agonizing death, attributed to ‘complications arising from anorexia’.

In a year in which both ’skinny chic’ (wearing oversized clothes on tiny body frames) and the American size 00 (an emaciated UK size two, or a waist the same as a typical seven-year-old’s) was the height of fashion in celebrity-land, South American Ana Carolina Reston’s (21) demise seems all the more poignant. Although anorexia isn’t the preserve of the fashion industry, it’s hardly surprising that Reston’s death has shone a spotlight on the way the business treats its models, and more significantly, on how destructive our current perception of female beauty can be.

There are no official studies to prove the link between the fashion industry and Hollywood and eating disorders, but many experts point to a clear correlation between the two. In a letter from 40 doctors at the Eating Disorders Service and Research Unit at King’s College London to the British Fashion Council last October, Professor Janet Treasure wrote: ‘There is no doubt there is cause and effect here. The fashion industry showcases models with extreme body shapes, and this is undoubtedly one of the factors leading to young girls developing disorders.’

Journalist Laura Ancona is not surprised: ‘I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen models vomiting in the toilets [at fashion events], or sniffing cocaine, or 13-year-old girls fainting because they’re not eating properly.’

Why is it that a lot of girls believe the only way to catch any guy’s attention is to wear low cut tops that push the limits, and booty shorts that are really just a knock off of Victoria Secret? By doing so, we ladies aren’t sending the message that we’re the hottest thing prowling the face of the planet. We’re instead saying, “Hey look at me! I don’t think I have anything attractive about me other than my cleavage, or my eager attempts to make you attracted to me by being aggressive.”

My purpose as a designer and as an individual is two fold-
We are here to change that “body obsessed” facet of fashion and change our understanding of what beauty really is.
More on that- tomorrow.

Sources- Washington Post article, Sep 11, 2007

Share on Facebook

With Spring right around the corner, and a variety of floaty rather “drapesy” fabrics on the rise, scarves will likely play a strong role in Spring fashion. It seems to me that scarves are often overlooked. Their feminine silkiness can ameliorate even the worst of hair days. I would know, I’m wearing one right now Both retro and modern, scarves are available in a variety of shapes, colors and prints to satisfy even the most savvy fashion follower. Have a few good-quality square scarves in your arsenal. Look for prints that incorporate skin-flattering cosmetic colors (red, pink, coral) in the pattern. Any morning you look as though you need a blood transfusion- throw on a crew or V neck and wrap a scarf around your neck, choker style.

My favorite scarf-tying trick: Fold a large square in half (from a triangle). Fold the pointed edge into the center, cover that with the smooth edge, and fold again until you arrive at a width that is flattering for your neck. tie the scarf in a knot ata the base of your neck and let the ends hang down the back. The effect is smooth, uncomplicated pop of color to your face. Dab on a little blush and and lipstick that pull out a cosmetic tone in the design. Voila

Add a few more large squares or oblongs to your stash and you’ll always have an creative belt, sash, head wrap or bandanna (for those wretched hair days). Tie a scarf to the handle of your handbag- just for fun. Nothing is more affordable or useful to a girl on a budget than a cache of scarves. You can always find them in bins at vintage stores for reasonable prices. Scarves go hand in gloved hand with fashion’s ladylike revival. Join Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who epitomized chic in a scarf, trench coat and dark glasses in the 1970s, as well as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, both looking perfectly poised in scarf and gloves.
Here’s a great site for “how to tie a scarf”

Share on Facebook